LAPD investigating arrest of NBA player Jaxson Hayes

The Los Angeles Police Department announced on Tuesday that they would be investigating whether police officers used excessive force when New Orleans basketball player Jaxson Hayes was arrested last week.

According to CBS Los Angeles, a categorical use of force investigation was launched by the police department into Hayes’s arrest, which is a type of investigation generally reserved for officers who may have used deadly force during an incident.

The investigation into the incident was originally launched as a non-categorical use of force investigation, denoting less extreme force used in the incident, but LAPD Chief Michel Moore said this was later amended after investigators found out that Hayes had filed a complaint that his neck had been constrained and restricted and he could not breathe, CBS Los Angeles noted.

Last week, Hayes was arrested early Wednesday morning, when police were responding to a domestic dispute report, The Associated Press reported. According to police, they had asked Hayes to remain outside of a residence while they tried to speak to a victim inside and said that body-camera footage showed Hayes proceeding to try to enter the residence anyway.

Police allege that Hayes pushed an officer against a wall after officers tried to place his hands behind his back, the AP reported. Police said they got Hayes on the ground and used several measures, including tasing him twice, when they say he tried to get up.

According to TMZ, he was later released from jail and posted a $25,000 bond.

The AP noted that the Pelicans put out a short statement following the arrest of Hayes saying, “We are working in conjunction with the NBA and Jaxson’s representatives to gather more information and will have no further comment at this time.” 

Video footage obtained by TMZ Sports on Wednesday shows Hayes being tased by police. TMZ Sports noted that the beginning of the video only shows Hayes just seconds before he gets tased.

In 2020, Milwaukee Bucks basketball player Sterling Brown reached a settlement with the city of Milwaukee regarding an incident in January 2018 when police tackled Brown to the ground and tased him, CNN reported.  

The Hill has reached out to LAPD and the New Orleans Pelicans for comment.